Acsension Derailed
by nobiki
Summary: Nearly 10 years after high school, Anzu is reuniting with the gang at a tournament in San Francisco. Warning: adult themes, language, situations, etc.
1. Lingerie Trouble

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. I don't even own a car.

Also, apologies. Kaiba is OOC. I had hoped he would mellow a bit as he aged, but according to the last Yugioh GX ep I saw, he hasn't. Tough, I already started this. He's a little mellower. Let me know if it gets out of hand, though.

And there are a LOT of other characters. I'll try to list them so we don't all get confused.

Summary: Nearly 10 years after high school, Anzu is reuniting with the gang at a tournament in San Francisco. But her ex is dragging around a supermodel girlfriend, while she's struggling to take her company public. Just what does KaibaCorp want with Acsension? Kaiba/Anzu, with bits of the rest of the gang.

Warning - Adult themes, slightly explicit content (I'm expurgating like crazy to make it work), some strong language.

Chapter 1 - Lingerie Trouble

OC: Charlotte - Honda's girlfriend  
Richard - Anzu's business partner

Anzu slammed her suitcase down on the bed. Damn him! That Honda. She stalked around the room, tears streaking her eyes. She thought she was over him. They were never really right together, but breaking up had been heart wrenching. And coming here, finding him with that, that BIMBO! She slammed her laptop down on the desk. Of course, as a hot shot biker, he needed to have a hot shot girlfriend. He told her this, encouraged her to play the part. It would help his 'street cred'. Whatever. Slam. Slam. Slam. Of course, this girl was tall and exotic, with a skimpy outfit and a body that just cried out "Look out for curves!" Anzu tried to calm down. Her cell phone beeped on the bed. "Mazaki." "Did you arrive okay? Everything good? Eh? Okay, now about those papers..." Richard blathered on and on. Anzu listened carefully, as she always did. It wasn't just her ass on the line now - she had founded this company and had brought quite a few people along for the ride. They needed her to be in control. Slipping off her skirt with one hand, she nodded, made notes and promised her assistant she would fax, sign or otherwise do whatever was required. "I understand this is supposed to be a vacation for you, Anzu," Richard finished, "but there are some signs our stock offering isn't going to proceed without some scuffles." "I know, Richard, I promise I won't abandon you." Richard grinned, "I know you won't, Anzu, but try to get some fun time in, too. Enjoy your mini-reunion."

Tossing the phone on the bed again, Anzu finished undressing and slipped into her shower. I will not think about him, she repeated her mantra for the week. The water sluiced off her body as she tried to rub off all thoughts of him. She had it bad just after high school. He was so cool, with his bike and his tight jeans. Yugi, poor little Yugi, just couldn't drag himself away from his duel monsters long enough to realize she was ready for something more. Shrugging, she stepped out, toweling off. That didn't bother her. Honda ditching her after two years because she wasn't 'hot' enough, 'sexy' enough - that hurt. Blowing off her dreams of dance school to follow him around - that hurt. She sat down to dry her hair. It was long now, curly, and dyed a muted red-brown. She did it for Honda, but when he left, she decided she liked it enough to avoid the post-breakup hair massacre. Shrugging again, she tossed the towel and stepped into her bodysuit.

Lingerie was Anzu's passion. She may wear boring business suits day in and day out, but underneath she dressed like a French courtesan. Today she would wear her favorite, a caramel-colored mostly-sheer concoction of net with mocha trim. Like all her bodysuits, it was very thin and well tailored. It didn't show under her suits, yet offered the support she needed. Bouncing lightly, she giggled. She did need the support. She never grew an inch upwards, and she was slimmer than she had been in high school, but her chest, well, she wasn't huge, but she was full enough to need some support. Guiding the suit up over her shoulders, she sighed. The French were the masters of support. No ugly white bras for her, no sir. The suit was cut high over her hips, accenting their roundness. The cups were bare on top and almost completely sheer. Only the trim defined where her chest stopped and the suit began.

Groaning a little, she adjusted the crotch. Damn boobs, it seemed they had grown again. The material was pulling, stretching away from her waist instead of settling comfortably against it. Stepping into her tallest heels, the ones she called her house shoes, she surveyed herself in the large mirror by the hotel's wardrobe. Short, boring, average. Honda's words, but she had made them hers, too. Nothing like Charlotte. She mouthed the name. Charlotte. Harlot. Grinning wickedly, she strutted up to the mirror. "Hello," she said in a breathy whisper, "I'm Charlotte. Wanna fuck?" Honestly, who brings a biker babe to a children's game tournament? Stupid Honda. She groped around her back, trying to find the clasp that would close the band under her breasts.

It had been several years since she had seen anyone but Shizuka. Even Yugi was often away when she made one of her rare stops in Japan. One of the hazards of jet setting, she thought, no home, always away. Her employees were her friends now, slaving away, putting their trust in a girl just out of grad school. The trust panned out, though. Four years later, Ascension was a rising star in financial software, and she was the very foundation of Ascension. Of course, they weren't living high on the hog yet. Basing her company in Europe had been the right move. She didn't feel the need to cater to the Asian or American expectations of wealth. When a European client found out she took buses, rode coach, and booked cheap hotels when possible, he was pleased with her frugality. If she showed up to a function in the same suit she wore during the day, nobody batted an eye. She bought nice suits, good shoes, and didn't even own normal clothes anymore. Her French employees fussed over her dreadfully, though. They knew she had style but they despaired for her wardrobe. She dreamed in French often now, it was second nature to her.

Anzu was happy to be in San Francisco. It was a fun town. Not that she really had any real fun anymore, but she liked the idea of hordes of other people outside having fun. Shizuka had invited her here to witness Mokuba's first junior league North American game tournament. Apparently, Kaiba had given Mokuba free reign. She imagined he would be here, looking over the kid's shoulder, but according to Shizuka he promised he wouldn't take over. Anzu snorted. She didn't think Kaiba could do it. She kept tabs on all her old friends, but she heard about Kaiba most of all. Somehow, he and Shizuka had become friends. It was weird; no one could explain it. They weren't dating, Shizuka assured her. They were friends. They talked, they hung out together, and they met up in all kinds of exotic places. Shizuka's clothing line was taking off, too, and Kaiba had been very helpful to her, lining up models, underwriting photo shoots. It just didn't sound like the Kaiba she remembered. Laughing, she resumed struggling with the clasp.

She heard the door open and slam shut. Finally, Shizuka was here. They had decided to share a suite, not so much for expenses but to hang out together. Shizuka knew Anzu would be working quite a bit of the time. She wanted to make sure Anzu got out and had fun at least once a day. "Oi, come help me with this. My damn boobs have grown again, I can't close this thing." Anzu called from the door, stalking back into her room. She heard some rustling, walking around, more rustling. It sounded like Shizuka was leaving. "Hey, cupcake, give me a hand already! Get your head out of the clouds for once!" Anzu was breathing hard now. It felt like trying to wrestle an octopus. She was looking down, trying to close the top without her breasts popping over the top. She felt Shizuka walk over. Hands scrabbled at her hair, trying to push it aside. "Oh, sorry, let me get that." She pulled the hair up in one hand, trying not to breathe. Hands pulled the clasp shut and hooked it, then rested lightly on her waist. "At last," Anzu gasped. "Thanks so much. I never could have done it without you." "My pleasure," a deep voice rumbled somewhere above her ear.

---  
Seto Kaiba wasn't displeased with the hotel. It was okay, but obviously geared to the middle class budgets of the parents involved. But he had ceded the penthouse to Mokuba and his crew, so here he was, walking along a silent hallway, trying to find his generic suite. 1682, 1683, 1684. His key said 1685. Ah, here, as he slid the key in. Nothing. Again. Nothing. If he hadn't been Kaiba he might have stomped his foot in annoyance. It's just a key, just go back down and get another one, the calm voice of reason said in his head. He glanced at the number again. The clerk had written 1684 first and then crossed it out. Maybe his room really was 1684? He tried the key there. The door whooshed open.

Kaiba stepped into the cream upon cream room. It was like any other hotel room, he thought. Except for the brown pumps in the corner. His sharp eyes swooped around the sitting room. And the small jacket across a chair. And the purse on the couch. Kaiba grumbled out loud. There wasn't anyone here to hear him, thankfully. He heard a voice from a bedroom. "Oi, come help me with this. My damn boobs have grown again, I can't close this thing." Crap. Someone WAS here. Having garment trouble. That involved boobs. Kaiba grinned, that was a funny word. Salaciously funny. He walked around the room again, looking for more clues. Peeking into the empty bedroom, he saw a dress form and a stack of fabric. Oh, this must be Shizuka's room, he realized. She did say a friend from France would be here. Kaiba started to walk out when the voice called again. "Hey, cupcake, give me a hand already! Get your head out of the clouds for once!" Definitely Shizuka's room, Kaiba grinned. He had told her the same thing. Not the cupcake part, though. Maybe Shizuka had a girlfriend? It wouldn't have been the first time Shizuka had forgotten to tell him something. The woman in the bedroom was cursing now. Startled, Kaiba walked into the bedroom. Well, she did ask for my help, he thought.

If he hadn't been so lost in thought he would have stopped dead at the door. As it was, once he caught sight of her, only the most extreme mental training allowed him to continue up behind her. She was short, slim, with the tiniest waist he had ever seen. Her hips were slight but round, and she was wearing the highest shoes he had ever seen outside of a strip club. They were black with silver tips and heels. Her hair was long and muddy red, curling around her back. Perm, he thought instantly. His long association with Shizuka had etched all kinds of feminine information in his brain. Lingerie, French. Heels, Italian. Hair, permed, colored. The woman skittered, wiggling side to side, trying to wrest her garment into submission. Kaiba felt a jolt. Um, Bottom, tight. On her left hip a tiny blue butterfly hovered. The woman turned sideways. Breasts, real. Wow.

Breathe, man, breathe. Don't look, don't think, just do whatever it is she needs and get the hell out of there before she sees you. Hopefully she'll need a full body massage, the naughty demon on his shoulder said. Kaiba stepped behind her, hoping she wouldn't see him in the mirror. Her eyes were down as she held her hair up for, he guessed, Shizuka. He saw the problem at once. The garment was indeed too small on top. Grasping the ends tightly he forced them together and hooked the ends. He tried to not look in the mirror, but he couldn't help it. The action had caused her breasts to push up and out, threatening to spill out of the cups. If you could call them that, Kaiba thought, because they were so sheer there almost wasn't any point. He noticed the fabric along her sides pulled up too tight, obscuring her waist and ruining the line. Unconsciously, he ran his hands down her sides, trying to smooth it. "At last," she gasped. "Thanks so much. I never could have done it without you." "My pleasure," Kaiba replied, which was the honest truth.

---  
Anzu went still. There's a man behind me, her brain finally thought. Looking up, she could see him, towering over her shoulder, partially obscured by her body and hair. He was slender but not skinny. His dark navy suit was unpadded; those shoulders were his own. His dark hair was longish on top, falling over his face. He smiled, a slow smile that made her shiver. "Um, I'm sorry, I thought you were..." "Shizuka, yes, I figured that. She's still downstairs. I was given her key by mistake. I beg your pardon." He turned and left the room quickly. Long legs, she saw as he left. Long fingers. He was so elegant, so polite. So handsome. And he just saw her in French undies, strutting around like a whore. Anzu fell backwards on the bed. She wasn't completely mortified, strangely. His obvious admiration showed in the mirror. She felt, somehow, revived. If she could make a strange man's eyes gleam like that with just a look, she could do the same to Honda. As if she wanted to, she humphed.


	2. Shizuka Arrives

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. I don't even own a car. 

Warning - Adult themes, slightly explicit content (I'm expurgating like crazy to make it work), some strong language.

---Ch2 - Shizuka Arrives  
Mrs. Watson - hotel concierge  
Richard - Anzu's business partner

Kaiba left the room quickly. If he were any man other than Kaiba, he would run. But Kaiba would not run. He paced a bit in front of the room. Finally, he stalked down to the front desk and chewed out the clerk up one side and down the other until the poor thing had to be relieved of duty for the evening. Exchanging Shizuka's key for his, he was about to leave when the new clerk pressed something else into his hand. "What's this?" "The connecting door key. Miss Kawai asked us to give you one." "Oh, okay," Kaiba reluctantly accepted the key. He stared at it for a minute, then asked "Is there a florist nearby?" "We have a floral service." The clerk directed him to the concierge's office.

The concierge, Mrs. Watson, was an older woman, solid but pleasant in her bun and tailored suit. "I would like to send some roses," Kaiba began, "or some other kind of flower. The color is more important, but I prefer roses." The concierge took down his instructions - carmel-colored roses in full bloom (to match her lingerie, he thought) with darker buds (to match the trim), and red curling foliage (to match her hair). "And the card, sir?" "On one side, Many Apologies; on the other, Many Thanks. To room 1684." The woman's face was bland, no judgment, only the desire to serve. If I had an army of employees like her, Kaiba thought, I could rule the world.

"Seto!" The girlish voice jolted him awake, just as Shizuka crashed into him as he left the concierge's office, hugging him fiercely. "It's been too long!" "Silly, I just saw you last week." Shizuka paused, long enough for Kaiba to disentangle her arms from around his neck, and laughed. "Of course, Fiji! Bizarre I didn't remember it." "No, Shizuka, not bizarre at all. More Shizuka-as-usual." Kaiba laughed. He laughed a lot when he was around Shizuka. They were the most unlikely pair, but their friendship had endured many years. At first he felt protective of her; she was alone when Jonouchi moved to the States. Then, as his own engagement crashed and burned, she supported him, stood by him and helped him live through the betrayal. At one time he had felt a burning passion for her, determined to marry her, but she refused. That had hurt him, even though he knew she was right. She deserved better than a rebound relationship. She had become almost a sister, and he was more than happy to bankroll her fashion efforts. That it turned out to be one of his best investments yet made it all the more sweet. Who knew Shizuka had such talent?

"Have you found your room?" she asked, walking along with him to the elevator. "No, not yet, I'm just going up. I did find your room, though. They gave me the wrong key." He flushed slightly, thinking of it. "Oh, really? Is Zuzu there yet?" Zuzu, he thought. Must be a nickname. "Mmm, she's there. Hey, what's this about a connecting door? I thought you weren't interested in a little midnight romping?" Shizuka laughed, "Of course not, Mr. Perv. I just thought it would be easier for us to hang out if you were just on the other side of the wall. You ignore your door so often when you're working, and I KNOW you'll be working." She pouted, then laughed again. She kissed his cheek goodbye and disappeared into her room. He stood outside, hearing her greet her friend excitedly. The girls jabbered cheerfully. Kaiba sighed and walked into his room.

-  
"Where have you been, Shizuka? I just got myself into a most interesting position." Anzu was sitting in the sitting room, clad in her same bodysuit, but this time with a dark blue velvet robe around her, just in case. "The most handsome man came in here. It put me in a rather embarrassing position." Shizuka laughed, "Oh, that's my fault. They somehow linked his name with mine and gave him my key. What happened?" Anzu blushed and told her friend everything. "What exactly did he see?" Anzu ripped off the robe and turned around. "This, Shizuka, this! I didn't know whether to curl and up die or rip his clothes off!" Oh, ho, Shizuka thought, that explained his blush. Shizuka never understood Anzu's inability to assess her own attractiveness, and she deplored the business camouflage Anzu favored. She dressed better in high school, Shizuka remembered. I blame Honda, she thought murderously. Then she shrugged to herself, if Anzu couldn't see what was right in front of her eyes, then she was as much at fault. But she was surprised by Seto's reaction. Maybe he does need a little midnight romp, she thought wickedly.

The rest of Shizuka's luggage was delivered at that moment, so Anzu rushed back into her robe. Anzu sat back on the sofa, legs crossed, chatting with Shizuka while she directed the porters. The men looked at them from the corners of their eyes, trying not to stare. "Goodness, Shizuka, what is all this stuff?" Shizuka shrugged. "I've been having so many orders I decided to bring all my materials with me." She frowned, tapping her nose. "Zuzu, can I switch bedrooms with you? I need the bigger one." Anzu looked up at her, exasperated. Shizuka upped the ante, "My bedroom has a bigger bathroom. With a spa tub." That's all it took. "Ok, ok, I'll move my stuff." Anzu was overjoyed. Traveling the world, she had spent way too many nights trying to shower in the tiny airport cubicles. She tossed her laptop on the bed and plugged in the fax machine. Working quickly, she finished up everything Richard had asked for, calling him as the last piece went out. "All done, funny boy. I'm going out to dinner, but call if there's a problem." It was almost time to meet the gang.

Pulling on one of her suits, she smoothed the front down and quickly braided her hair into a low twist. Kicking off her heels, she pulled out a pair of low pumps. "Why do you even have those killer heels if you just wear business pumps out?" Shizuka asked from the door. "Because I wear heels all the time. If I walk around barefoot for too long, I get leg cramps. Besides, they're special shoes, and they don't go with any of my suits." "I'll loan you some normal clothes, Zuzu. I would MAKE you some normal clothes if I thought you would wear them." "Don't bother," Anzu answered wearily, "with all the traveling I do I try to pack light." She kept a suitcase in every office, full of suits, pumps and toiletries. As she stopped off in one spot, she could grab a different suitcase, moving only her robe, lingerie, and stripper shoes, as Shizuka called them, to the new case, and be off again within minutes. "At least buy some new lingerie," Shizuka grumped. "You've outgrown those." Anzu nodded. "Next time I'm in Lyon, I promise." She wrapped a scarf around her neck, pushing it into her suit jacket. Shizuka grabbed her hands. "No, I will not allow you to cover yourself like that." She pulled the scarf off and draped it over Anzu's shoulder, then used a pin to cinch in the suit's waist, pulling her friend over to the mirror. Anzu stared in horror - her cleavage was pronounced, jutting up from the jacket. "Shizuka, I can't go out looking like this! I'm the President of Ascension! I have an image to maintain!" "You," Shizuka said pointedly, settling a necklace around Anzu's neck, "have an ex-boyfriend to drive crazy." Patting Anzu's hair, she grabbed her arm. The last thing Anzu noticed was the sapphire blue dragon resting between her breasts.

-----

A/N: thanks for the review, guys! i'm glad someone gets to enjoy it besides me.


	3. Sponsors' Party

---Ch3 - Sponsors' Party  
Charlotte - Honda's girlfriend 

Anzu rarely carried a purse, but tonight Shizuka pushed a clutch into her hands. "Take that stuff out of your pockets, Anzu, it ruins the line." Anzu laughed and did as she was told. She had to admit, Shizuka's sense of aesthetics was infallible. They rode the elevator to the penthouse ballroom, stepping out into a crowd of people. Mokuba's friends and co-hosts wandered the floor, interspersed with older adults and security. Mokuba stepped up and greeted Shizuka warmly. He had grown tall, his hair still long and thick, but pulled back in a loose braid. He resembled his older brother, but without the steel, Anzu thought. And with the oddest piercings, she grimaced. Mokuba displayed several earrings, a stud in his nose, and a hoop on his eyebrow. When he smiled and opened his mouth, she thought she saw a glint of metal on his tongue. "Shizuka, you made it! And who's your sexy little friend here?" Mokuba eyed her with interest, trying and failing to keep his eyes on her face. "Silly, you've known Anzu for years!" Mokuba faltered, stammering, "Mazaki?" Anzu nodded. "How nice to see you again, Mokuba. You've really grown!" Mokuba nodded, responding, "Yes, you've grown too." Shocked at what he said, he tried to recover. "I mean, you've changed. Um, ok." Laughing at the young man's bungle, Anzu patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Mokuba. Shizuka has tarted me up this evening. I'm still the plain boring girl you always knew." Mokuba thought back to those years and shrugged to himself - he didn't remember a plain boring girl at all. Shizuka dragged Anzu by the hand as they said their goodbyes. Mokuba eyed Anzu's retreating form with interest. The cinched jacket pulled up at the back, hiding and revealing her form in a most erotic way. "Hope to see more of you!" he called after them. A friend next to him followed his eyes, whistling. "Damn, Mokuba." Mokuba just nodded.

Jonouchi hollered from across the room, "Shizuka, over here!" Shizuka pushed through the crowd, anxious to see her brother. "Katsuya! You're here!" She kissed her brother, hugged him and started all over. "Like I would be anywhere else, sis?" he grinned. "Where's Mazaki? I thought she was with you." Shizuka looked around. "She was right here a minute ago." Her brother patted her shoulder, "She probably got lost in the crowd. I'm sure she'll show up soon." Shizuka sat down to wait for Anzu to find her way over. The rest of their friends started to arrive, and finally everyone but Anzu was seated. Kaiba stopped by briefly to say hello, but left just as quickly. He found he could tolerate no more than a few minutes of the geek squad, even now. He had only stopped by to see Shizuka's friend again, after all. Obviously, if she wasn't here, she hadn't been part of all that insanity. After he left, Yugi scanned the crowd anxiously. "Miss Kawai, are you sure she knows where we are?" Shizuka shrugged. "She's a big girl now, she's probably just mingling. If she's not here in another 30 minutes, I'll get Mokuba to find her."

----

Anzu had gotten separated from Shizuka only a few feet after they left Mokuba. She tried to push her way through, unable to see over the crowd around her. "Are you lost?" a familiar voice asked above her ear. Not him, not now! She looked up into Honda's face. "Um, no, just walking over to Shizuka's table," she lied. She could see Charlotte's tall figure just behind him, eyeing her suspiciously. Honda pushed up against her suddenly in a fake stumble - or maybe he was drunk. She honestly couldn't tell anymore. "Sorry, the crowd is incredible," he grinned at her. He was staring directly down her jacket. His hand crept around to her hip, caressing her. "Whoa, Anzu, you're looking kinda hot." His smile faltered when he noticed the dragon necklace. His hand moved to pick it up, but Anzu slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me, Honda!" she snarled. She backed up, bumping into someone behind her. Arms came around her, grabbing Honda's hand and bending it back painfully. "Move it, Honda, before I throw you out," the man said menacingly. Shocked, Honda looked at Anzu, then the necklace, then to the man behind her. "Well, well, looks like you've got a knight in platinum armor," he sneered, turning and stalking away with Charlotte in tow.

Tears leaked from Anzu's eyes. She blinked hard. Kaiba steered her masterfully through the crowd and behind a curtain. "Just how well do you know that oaf?" he asked, offering her a tissue from his pocket. Anzu dabbed at her eyes, then looked up at her rescuer. He was much taller than she remembered, but then, she was wearing 2inch heels now instead of 5. "Um, we dated just after high school. He dumped me," she offered, then flushed. "Thanks so much, I got separated from Shizuka and I was getting flustered. I shouldn't have let him bother me." "On the contrary, you shouldn't have let him maul you," Kaiba answered tightly. He suddenly noticed his hand was resting on her waist again, and moved it. Nodding to her necklace, he added, "Did Shizuka loan you that for the evening? I seem to remember her having one like it." Anzu glanced down. The blue dragon. "Oh, yeah, Shizuka did one of her spruce-up numbers on me tonight. I didn't even notice it until Honda tried to grab it." She picked it up, turning it over in her hand. Kaiba felt a fluttering in his stomach as her small fingers moved over the enamel figure, then pressed it back into her flesh. A small groan escaped his lips, but she didn't notice. "Shizuka's friend gave it to her, I think. I'm rather surprised she put it on me, he would be majorly pissed off about it." Kaiba looked down in surprise. "Which friend?" "Seto Kaiba."

----  
Ooh, my first cliff-hanger! Glad you guys are enjoying it. I'll post the next chapter soon because the suspense is killing me, too (and I've finally calmed down from the annual fiasco that is Thanksgiving Dinner With My Crazy Extended Family shudder).


	4. Hidden Identity and Work Intervenes

---Ch4 - Hidden Identity and Work Intervenes 

Akane - Jonouchi's wife  
Michel DuPont, Dominique - more business partners of Anzu  
---

"We went to high school with him," Anzu continued, "and he and Shizuka are really tight." Kaiba kept his face under control, searching hers for clues. She knew him in high school, but obviously didn't recognize him. Which meant he knew her. His mind worked furiously. Nope, nope, nope. He finally gave up. He went to school with a lot of people. He couldn't be expected to remember everyone. "Is he here tonight?" he asked blandly. Anzu shrugged. "I assume so. Shizuka said he would be. I haven't seen him in years. I probably wouldn't recognize him if I did. I certainly wouldn't have recognized Mokuba if Shizuka hadn't introduced me." She grinned up at him, patting his hand. "Thanks again. You are my knight in shining armor tonight." Kaiba breathed out slowly. She hadn't noticed Honda's disdainful use of the word 'platinum'. She had no clue who he was. He smiled again. This could be fun.

Kaiba had rarely met someone who wasn't instantly aware of his identity and position, usually because he was so quick to tell them. This week, however, he had promised Mokuba he would try and keep a low profile. It was only fair. Mokuba had done an impressive job and he deserved the spotlight for it. Leaning over his mystery lady, Kaiba looked into her eyes. "So, just what are you wearing under that oh-so-proper Prada suit?" Anzu's back was against a stack of tables, and her legs felt strangely weak. The man knew his clothes, she thought. Must be from hanging out Shizuka. She looked up, up into his eyes, so close, but steadfastly on hers and not dropping lower. She smiled. It was so nice, she thought, to feel admired, even desired. Instead of ignoring the improper comment, she responded in kind, reaching up and running a finger along his jaw playfully, watching the muscles in his neck twitch. "Why ask? You've already seen it," she whispered, pulling the jacket aside near her shoulder. He saw the thin brown straps. Pushing up against her gently, he ran his hand along her waist again, down her hip, pulling her body closer. This was more fun than he remembered. Her mouth parted a little, gasping at the contact. His finger traced her lips gently, his breath coming more quickly. Anzu was melting, pooling against the table. He was teasing her, and she was loving it.

Suddenly, she heard Mokuba's voice. "He was over here last time I looked. Check back in the storage area." Kaiba pulled up quickly, calling out, "I'm in here, I'll be out in a minute." He caught the look of regret on her face. "Sorry, duty calls. I'm sure I'll see you again." He winked, then led her out of the storage room. Catching hold of a security guard, he said, "Please escort her to Table 17." The guard nodded, offering his arm. Anzu followed, surprised her feet could even move. Maybe they didn't, maybe she was floating. Turning away, he adjusted himself, smiling faintly. "Yup, that's my brother. Finds the absolute sexiest babe in the room and in under 5 minutes she's all his." Mokuba leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, with a mocking smile. Kaiba smiled and shrugged. "Well, a man's gotta try," he laughed, "and thanks for nothing. I was just about to kiss her, too." Mokuba hooted at him, "You? Kiss? I don't doubt if I hadn't interrupted you, it would have been much more than that!" He was suddenly serious. "Don't play with her, Seto. She's a nice girl." "Do you know her?" Kaiba asked quickly. Mokuba looked up at his brother. It galled him he still had to look up, but hopefully a few more years would change that. "Uh, ye-ah. We've known her for years. Get a grip, Seto." Another near-catastrophe caught his attention and he hurried off. Kaiba ground his teeth in frustration.

---

Finally reunited with Shizuka, Anzu stood by the table shakily. Her face was flushed and she felt a long-repressed heat in her stomach. "Anzu, it's about time," Jonouchi called, coming around to hug her. "I'm sorry, I got separated and couldn't find you guys." She hugged her old friend, kissing his cheek. He stared down at her cleavage with interest. "Damn, where have you been hiding those things?" He pulled her body against him a few times, teasing her. "Did you forgot about your dear little Akane?" she asked pointedly. "Nope," he grinned, "she's at home with the kiddo. She told me to have fun." He leered at her suggestively. Anzu punched him on the shoulder. "Not that much fun, bozo," she laughed. Jonouchi let her go just as Yugi walked back over. "Anzu!" Anzu squealed, pulling Yugi into a bear hug. "Oh, I've missed you! You're never home anymore." Yugi was still short, but he had finally grown a little taller. He was now eye-level with Anzu in her heels. "Me? You don't even live in Japan anymore!" he exclaimed. They all sat down to eat. "True, Yugi, true," Anzu replied. "I had been flying around so much I gave up my apartment. I just crash at the office, or friends' places." "Feel free to crash in my bed anytime, babe," a playful voice said above her. She grinned up at Otogi. "As if," she replied archly, rolling her eyes. Otogi dropped a kiss onto her head. "One day, babe, you'll be begging for me. Begging." "Oh, yeah," Yugi laughed. "Begging." He made a face and everyone, even Otogi, laughed.

"So, Mazaki, did you see Honda yet?" Otogi asked carelessly. Multiple pairs of eyes glared at him from around the table, silently willing him to shush. Trust him to drag that up. Spots appeared on Anzu's cheeks. "Uh, yeah, actually I ran into him a little while ago." She gritted her teeth, trying to smile. "Didn't go well, huh," Otogi patted her hand. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he hugged her gently. "He's an idiot, Mazaki, just forget him, and his little whore Charlotte, too." He made a face, swishing his hips in his chair, swooshing his hair side-to-side. Anzu laughed. He was so dead on. She leaned over and patted his hair. "You are so funny! I bet women laugh at you all the time." "Yeah," Jonouchi chimed in, "usually just after he gets them in bed." Otogi tossed his roll across the table, hitting Jonouchi on the side of the head.

Anzu hated for the evening to end. She hadn't had this much fun in so long. Otogi's flirting was hilarious. After a bottle of wine, he was now trying to climb in Yugi's lap, begging for 'just one little kiss'. They talked of old times, caught up on new times, and enjoyed just being together for a change. Anzu's cell phone beeped. Shizuka moaned, "Zuzu, you promised!" Anzu answered quickly, leaning away from the table to hear. "Anzu, sorry to bug you," her project manager Michel DuPont started, "but there's a problem. Production is stalled. And the new build, it's crashing like crazy. Dominique is pulling her hair out." Anzu sighed and swatted Otogi's hand from her knee. "I'll get right on it, Michel. Tell everyone who's involved to take a break until I call in." No point in everyone working on this. She knew her software best, and she knew if she needed help she could call them back in. Anzu stood up to go. "Sorry, guys, system malfunction. Super-geek must make an appearance." Otogi made a face again. "Who knew you would be the computer genius, Mazaki? What a waste of a bod." Anzu giggled, thumping him on the head. She looked around for a minute. "I thought Kaiba would have made an appearance," she wondered. "Oh, he was here a little while ago, just after Shizuka sat down. He wasn't here long, though," Jonouchi grinned while Shizuka rolled her eyes. That was code for 'my brother was annoying him so he left'. Anzu shrugged. She waved goodbye and made her way around the crowd. Taking a page from Shizuka's friend's book, she stopped a guard and asked the way out. "Here, miss, let me escort you." "Thanks so much, it's rather crowded." She rested her hand lightly on the man's hand as he took her arm. Soon enough she was at the exit, thanking him again.

Mokuba saw her leave and followed her through the door. "Mazaki," he called, running up to her. "Leaving so soon? The party's barely started yet." She slung an arm around his waist absently, wistfully noticing she couldn't easily reach his shoulders any more. "Sorry, production catastrophe. Look's like it'll be another all-nighter for me. I'll try to make the opening ceremonies before I crash, okay?" Pulling him closer, she hugged him, just as she had done when he was much younger. "Hey, if you see your brother, say hello for me, would you? I seem to keep missing him. Not that he would be happy to see me, but I don't want to be impolite." She punched the elevator and walked in. "But, you were just-" Mokuba started. The door closed. Mokuba stared at it. "But you were just flirting with him, Mazaki," he finished lamely. He stared, and stared again. Either she was being facetious or Seto hadn't introduced himself. It wasn't inconceivable she didn't recognize his brother. If Shizuka hadn't introduced them, Mokuba would never have known Anzu in a million years. The question was, did Seto KNOW she didn't know? "I will murder him," Mokuba announced, startling some of his guests as they came out of the elevator.

-----

I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this story! If you like Kaiba in embarrassing situations, just hang onto your hats - next chapter! Working on it right now. I'll be earning that M rating soon...


	5. Code Warrior and Seto's Torture

---Ch5 - Code Warrior and Seto's Torture 

Back in her room, Anzu was surprised to see a long white box sitting on the table. The box didn't specify the recipient so, feeling a little guilty, Anzu took off the lid. An armful of oddly coloured roses rested inside with a card. Anzu blushed as she read it. These were definitely for her, from Shizuka's mysterious friend. The color was a dead give away. Sighing, she stuffed them into a vase and moved them to her new bedroom. The scent would keep her company while she worked. Anzu flipped on the laptop and checked the status reports from her programming staff. Yup, bug. Maybe more than one. She read through them as she undressed. She caught sight of the blue dragon on her chest. It was so beautiful, she hated to take it off. Gathering her bath things, she called room service. "I need 6 bottles of ruby port and a cheese plate." Stepping into the bathroom, she gasped in pleasure - as promised, the tub was large, deep, and fitted with jets. Down to her bodysuit, she pulled her robe on and started the water in the tub. She read the reports again, waiting for the tub to fill. A knock at the door announced her order, so she directed the waiter to pull the cart to her bedroom, still reading. She signed the receipt and waved the man out. Opening one of the bottles, she poured herself a glass and walked into the bathroom again. 

Finally, she took Shizuka's necklace off, stripped off her underwear and sunk neck-deep into the tub. Leaning her head against the side, she sipped her wine and just floated. Her employees were well used to her unorthodox preparations. She remembered how wound-up Kaiba always was in school. She understood a bit of the pressure he faced, but he would probably scoff at her methods, she thought. She could knock out code with the best of them, but her little ritual, and a lot of port, helped her think outside the box when other methods had failed. That's why she took on so much of the problem solving from her team. Everybody knew with the right motivation, Anzu could work miracles. 

Suddenly, her eyes gleamed. There it was, she thought. A sub-routine that shouldn't be there. An object misnamed. She shook her head and finished her second glass. Something else, something not quite right. That one would take some time, she thought. Best bang the first two out now. Jumping out of the tub, she unbraided her hair and toweled off. She sprayed on a thick spicy perfume and pulled on another bodysuit. This one was white satin with purple trim. It laced up the back, so she was able to manage it without too many problems. Looking down, she sighed. This one was too small, too, and it pulled up way over her hips. Growling, she moved the necklace to a dresser to give back to Shizuka later, stepped into her steel-heeled shoes, and stuck a clip in her hair to keep it up. She plugged in her headphones and switched on her ipod. Loud metal music filled her ears, another holdover from her days with Honda. She pulled on her robe and positioned her body just off the bed, with the laptop in the middle of the bed. Time to work. 

--- 

Kaiba rolled over in his bed. What the hell was she doing in there? He could hear moaning, banging, thumping. The headboard thumped against the wall. A woman's voice cried "Who's your daddy now, bad boy?" He heard a slap and more cries. It wasn't Shizuka's voice, he knew. Maybe her friend's? He pulled a pillow over his head. That must be it. The sexy friend in the French undies left early to get some action. Unbidden, his mind imagined her looking down on him, jumping around in those fuck-me heels, screaming his name. Groaning, he climbed from the bed and stripped off his shirt. He was rock hard and his body ached with pent-up energy. He realized he was sweating. He turned the AC's fan up to High and walked into the bathroom to splash water on his face. His eyes looked wild. Didn't she know some people had to work tomorrow? 

He brushed his teeth again, just to avoid going back in the bedroom. He considered moving to the smaller bedroom, but he had heard a baby crying there earlier. Better a woman in heat than a crying baby, he thought. The couch was out of the question. He could tell the upholstery hadn't been cleaned recently. This hotel really sucked, he decided. Nothing a little more insulation in the walls wouldn't take care of, so why the hell didn't they do it? Sighing, he walked back into his bedroom and climbed in again. Lying in the middle of the bed on his back, he let the cold air blow over his bare chest. "Oh, yes, yes, yes!" The noises started back up again. His jaw tingled as he remembered her touch earlier that evening. Her creamy skin, and his dragon nestling on her breasts. Lucky dragon, he groaned. He could imagine his lips there, following the curve of her neck. His hands roaming down her body, grasping that tiny waist. Unbidden his own hands brushed against his chest, down his stomach. Her hands, touching him, grasping him. He slipped his hand under the drawstring of his pajama pants. She screamed again, "I'm going to fuck you up! Just bend over and take it!" He gasped, his hands moving faster. His breathing came in short gasps, his mouth open, tasting her lips in his mind. The headboard was knocking, knocking. 

The door to his room opened, spilling light into his room. Startled, his hands flew from his pants as he sat up in his bed. Shizuka stood there, looking puzzled. "I'm sorry, Seto, I didn't know you were in bed already. I thought we could hang out." His ears were buzzing as his body rebelled, calling out for release. Shizuka came to sit on his bed. Shouts came from the room. "Oh, yeah, baby! You're all mine now!" Shizuka giggled. "Oh, Zuzu's working. I'm sorry, I guess she's a little loud." "Working? On what, a baseball team?" Kaiba's mouth was finally functioning again, although his throat felt hoarse. "Seto! You didn't think..." and she laughed, her body shaking. His eyes flashed. "Well, what the hell was I supposed to think?" he demanded, his chest heaving. "Come on, I need a model," Shizuka said while pulling him from the bed. He grabbed a pillow - there was no hiding his current state from anyone in just pajama pants. 

Following her into the bedroom, he groaned again. Anzu was half on, half off the bed, her hips grinding into the side of it like, well, like a man grinding into a woman. Her hair was falling down from its clip, bouncing over a dark blue velvet robe that was pushed up to her waist revealing an almost completely bare bottom. He could see her tattoo clearly now. She was typing quickly on a laptop, gulping a dark red wine. She shrieked again and reached and spanked herself. "Boo-yah! You're all mine now!" He hugged the pillow tighter to him, his mouth hanging open. Shizuka sighed, leaned over Anzu, and pulled one of the headphones from her ear. "You're being too loud!" "Sorry, Shizuka, I'm almost done. I was just excited." She didn't look around and hadn't noticed Kaiba in the room with them. "Well, keep it down to a dull roar. Some people think you're having wild sex in here," Shizuka complained, with a pointed look at Kaiba. He shrugged his shoulders. Anzu leaned over and poured another glass. "Wild sex? Ha ha, Shizuka. What's sex?" Kaiba saw two empty bottles on the floor. He picked one up and his eyes widened. This was strong stuff. No wonder she was a mess. His mouth thinned. Just what kind of employee was she, working under the influence? 

Following Shizuka out of the room, he started to sit on the sofa and blinked. No room - every available space was full of fabric, samples, and half-finished garments. Shizuka continued to pull him into the other bedroom. "Shizuka, why have me in the room connecting to the wrong bedroom? What if I had barged in on your friend and she DID have someone in there with her?" Shizuka stared at him. "Oh, when I got in I realized that bedroom was too small, so I convinced Zuzu to switch with me. Don't worry, she won't mind. She isn't like that. Although it would be nice if she did. That girl needs to get laid in the worst way." Hear nothing, see nothing, Kaiba's mind tried to control his body. "What's the problem?" he asked as Shizuka directed him to stand on a small stool. "She's hot, she's employed..." "She's smart, too, Seto. You and she have a lot in common." He raised his eyebrows at that. "In grad school, she pioneered some taka thingy or something. Then she founded her own company and apparently they're about to go public. She works all the time, she doesn't even have an apartment because she's never in one place for very long." She poked pins in the fabric pieces. Kaiba stood very still, thinking and praying she wouldn't poke him. "Plus, she's still messed up about Honda. Can you believe when he broke up with her, he told her it was because she wasn't hot enough for his image?" Kaiba jumped. "What - OWWW! Dammit, Shizuka!" "Well, keep still! Yeah, can you believe that? He said she was short, boring and average. She tried to mold herself to what he wanted, but it wasn't enough. Did you see his new girlfriend?" Kaiba nodded, "The tall blond." Shizuka poked again savagely. Kaiba felt it graze his skin but wisely didn't move. "That's what she thinks she has to look like. And since she can't, she just gives up and hides her body behind business suits." 

Shizuka was on a roll as she talked. Kaiba realized it would be pointless to interrupt; eventually Shizuka would tell him everything he needed to know, except, apparently, her friend's real name. He could have just called one of his minions to get the information another way, but he was strangely reluctant to do it this time. The shrieks from the other bedroom finally stopped. Now he could hear her jabbering away in French, much too quickly for him to catch more than a few words. It sounded like computer talk, so it must have been business. He gave up trying to eavesdrop. Finally, Shizuka was done and allowed him to sprawl on the floor. He went over everything she had told him. "Shizuka," he started, "when you were talking about your friend's graduate work, what was the name of that thing she did?" Shizuka frowned. "I don't know, Seto. Taka, sequence, up, something to do with computers." Kaiba jumped to his feet. "Might that be the Tanaka Ascending Series?" "Yeah, that sounds about right," Shizuka looked unsure. He sat down on the chair. "But I thought that was done by Professor Tanaka." He rubbed his hand through his hair. Shizuka chirped back, "Oh, that was her advisor. He died just before she published it, so she named it for him." Kaiba was stunned. That woman in there was something of a celebrity. Her dissertation had revolutionized programming methods, and by releasing it as public domain, his own company had raked in millions of dollars of savings. Kaiba threw up his hands. Why not a sexy CEO computer genius in French lingerie? "What's the problem, Seto?" "I'm tired, Shizuka, are we done?" Shizuka grinned. "Almost, stand back up and I'll do a quick baste." 

--- 

/fans self/ Poor Kaiba, he is so doomed. If Shizuka seems OOC, it's deliberate. She and Kaiba have a very close relationship, in some ways even closer than her own brother. And I wanted Shizuka to be a more full character. Next chapter is almost ready, more Seto torture. 'Cause Shizuka's not stupid... 


	6. Slow Burn

---Ch6 - Slow Burn 

Richard - Anzu's business partner

Anzu had finished much faster than she expected, but she wasn't happy about it. Only one of the bugs was a true mistake. The rest, she felt very sure, were deliberately inserted after production. Her conversation with Richard confirmed her fears. With the date of their stock offering approaching, they needed to do everything possible to maintain Ascension's viability. If someone managed to sabotage their production schedule, it would undervalue their stock, putting them at risk for a buy-out. She lay back on her bed, nibbling another slice of cheese. Richard was going to set up a meeting with KaibaCorp. He had a feeling it had something to do with their recent efforts to buy Ascension outright. If she could track Kaiba down here, they might be able to resolve this quickly. Her robe fell open and she felt colder air on her legs. Looking up, she noticed the connecting door to the next room was open. Pulling her headset off, she heard voices in Shizuka's room. Oh, mystery man is here, she thought. Usually Shizuka used Kaiba as a dummy. Anzu giggled, imagining seeing Kaiba in pink chiffon.

Standing up, she heard a cell phone beep in the next room. Following it, she stood in the doorway, trying to see into the dark room. There it was, on the table. With her glass in one hand, she grabbed it in the other, scooping up the necklace on her way out of the room, and sprinted into Shizuka's room. "Oi, your phone!" she cried as she tossed it to the surprised man standing on a stool, sporting a red satin skirt. He caught it with grace, a grateful look on his face. "Uh, hello?" His secretary faltered by his greeting, unsure she had reached the right number. "Mr. Kaiba?" "Yes, it's me. I, uh, can't talk now. How important is this?" She could hear two women talking in the background and nodded, keeping the grin out of her voice. "You have a request for a business meeting from the president of a small software company." "Well, set it up and tell me when and where. If we need to reschedule, they can work around it." He tossed the phone on the bed. "Shizuka," Anzu started, "here's your necklace back. Thanks so much! It's beautiful." Shizuka giggled and tucked the necklace into a box on the dresser. Anzu looked up at the man on the stool. "So, are you cheating on Kaiba, Shizuka? I thought he was your favorite doll." Shizuka looked at Anzu, stunned. "He's right..." pointing at Kaiba. "Shizuka," Kaiba quickly interrupted, "this isn't hanging properly." Shizuka was effectively redirected. Kaiba sighed and kept shifting. "Arms out," Shizuka ordered.

Anzu leaned against the doorframe, watching Shizuka repin the satin around the man's waist. He was shirtless, she realized, just wearing navy pajama pants under Shizuka's skirt. She watched him, admiring his chest, and the muscles of his arms as he kept them stretched out without shaking. As she expected, he was slender, but with dancer's limbs, long and muscular. Her body twinged and her face flushed slightly. "Are you ogling me?" he asked suddenly. Shizuka had turned him so he was facing Anzu in the doorway. His taut stomach, and the light dusting of dark hair leading below his waistband mesmerized her. He followed her gaze and lifted an eyebrow at her. "Oh, yeah," Anzu answered as she turned to walk back to her own room. "Mmm, mmm, good."

Shizuka looked up from her sewing, alarmed. "I think Zuzu just flirted with you," she exclaimed, shocked. "What's wrong with me, Shizuka?" Kaiba replied with a mock-pout. Laughing, Shizuka slapped his bottom, letting him know he was done. "Not you, silly, Zuzu. I haven't seen her make goo-goo eyes at a man, ANY man, since she broke up with Honda." She looked down her nose at Kaiba as she took the red skirt from him. "And I KNOW you're interested. Come on, Seto, a pillow? Are you still in junior high?" Kaiba blushed hard, stuttering a denial. "Stuff it. I saw where your hands were when I walked in. Lying in your bed, in a sweat, thinking Zuzu was banging some other guy," Shizuka was whispering wickedly in his ear, "just aching because it wasn't you and you wanted it." Kaiba gasped as Shizuka's breath on his ear and neck combined with her words and the images they conjured. Shizuka giggled. "Go hang out with her, Seto. You know you want to." Kaiba nodded. "Don't forget your pillow. You'll need it." Shizuka cackled as she tossed him the pillow.

Bending over, pillow in place, Kaiba pinched Shizuka on the arm as he picked his phone up off the bed. "You're a cold, cold woman, Shizuka." She stuck her tongue out and kept on working. Feeling strangely nervous, he walked into the sitting room, just outside the smaller bedroom. The lights were still on in her room. Well, either way, he had to walk through that door; he hadn't brought his regular room key, and there was no way he was going to call downstairs wearing nothing but pajama pants. Shaking his arms out, he walked up to the doorframe and knocked. Anzu was standing over the fax machine, feeding papers in. Her laptop was back on the desk. Her robe hung open, revealing another amazing bodysuit. "Is Shizuka done sticking pins in you?" she asked with a smile. "Yeah, for now. Why doesn't she use you as her personal voodoo doll?" he griped. She walked by him, brazenly dragging her nails across his stomach on her way. "Because I'm not tall enough, even in these heels. Have you seen those models? They're like giants compared to me."

Kaiba didn't hear what she said. The shock of her nails on his stomach fogged his brain almost instantly. "Wh-ut-at?" he said stupidly. Anzu grinned at him. She was shocked by her behavior, but looking up at him, his nipples stiffening in the warm room, she knew she wasn't done misbehaving. "You...tall...me...not," she repeated in a mocking voice, standing in front of him. He grinned, pulling her robe closer to him, bringing her body along with it. She was wearing a spicy perfume, very sensual. "Me, tall. You, freakishly small." He bumped the tip of her nose with his and let her go. Surprised, Anzu stepped backwards too quickly, tripping over the edge of the bed and falling onto it. Her eyes were bright, and he could see a blush stealing over her chest. "Sorry, but turnabout's fair play." She giggled and reached for her glass. "Would you like some? I don't drink it much, but it helps me stretch my mind when I'm working." Kaiba nodded. "Shizuka told me. Why don't we go into my sitting room? It's a little warm in here, and Shizuka has turned yours into a dress shop." What he didn't say was he couldn't concentrate while she was lying almost naked on her bed and he suddenly wanted to know more about her.

"Sure. I figured I would be up all night. It's nice to have a night of leisure for a change." She rolled over and grabbed her open bottle. Kaiba led her through his bedroom into the sitting room. "Hold on a minute," he said before she sat down. He grabbed some blankets from the empty bedroom and spread it over the furniture. She looked at him strangely. "Those seat covers don't look very clean," he answered her unasked question. The room was dark, the only light coming from her bedroom door. He shut the connecting door and switched on the aquarium light. "Oh, you have fish in here." The room glowed in an eerie blue light. "I requested it with the room. I find them relaxing." Not that he had much of a chance to look at them, he grimaced, but he liked knowing they were available. She sat down on the sofa, propping her legs up on the coffee table. He sat down in the chair next to her, offering an empty glass. She poured the deep red liquid into his glass. The light stained it purple. "Um," he started, then stopped. He had no idea how to proceed. She looked him sideways, smiling. "Are you nervous?" "Yeah, I am." Kaiba reached over and took the clip from her hair, watching it tumble down over her robe. She gasped a little. "Me, too," she admitted. She pulled her robe around her. "Are you cold?" he asked. "A little," she admitted, "Do you live in Norway or something?" He laughed, a deep rumble that made her stomach flop. "No, I was just a feeling a little overheated earlier."

---

so, so SO sorry about the long time no see update. we had two deaths in the family around christmas and things have been hyper insane ever since. note to all readers - update your wills! and might i suggest not leaving anything when you die? because it sure is hard to watch my cousins become ravenous animals all of sudden.

also, i'm stuck!!! i know how i want it to go, but the actual business dynamics of the solution are dragging me down - gotta keep everyone in character, AND resolve this in the span of the story (they only have a week in sanfran)...i will try my hardest to keep on this story, but i think it might be a losing battle.


End file.
